5097. They are punished very grievously; and much more grievously than others, because [their evil] is so deeply inrooted that their very life is revenge. Some of them are such that they place the whole delight of their life in revenge; and, then, just as they have burned with revenge before they have accomplished it, so greatly do they rejoice afterwards. Many such are said to be from Italy, where that vindictiveness is inrooted, from immoderate pride, because they wish to rule all; for revenge has much in common with self-love. Since papal times, also, when interior pride increased, these are exceedingly cruel. And such vindictiveness is said to be inrooted in the natives of that country, and thence is likewise derived to posterity.